JUDGMENT

S.P. Kurdukar, J.-The Sessions Court of East Thanjavur at Nagappattinam as also the High Court at Madras by their concurrent judgments and orders found the appellant guilty of the offences punishable under Sections 302 and 392 IPC and accordingly sentenced him to suffer life imprisonment on first count and RI for ten years on second count. Both the sentences were directed to run concurrently. The appellant by Special Leave has filed this appeal to this Court.

2. The facts of the prosecution case lie in a very narrow compass and shorn of details may be summerised as under :-

Panchapagesa Iyer, a stone deaf in his sixties was staying with his wife Mohambal since deceased in Mel Agraharam in Mudikondan. The couple had no child. They owned some agricultural lands which were supervised by Mohambal with the help of appellant. They belonged to an affluent family having various jewellery items of jewels, diamonds and gold. The appellant was said to be a trusted servant and a man of her confidence. Mohambal was fond of wearing the jewellery on her person. The appellant was a young boy of 29 years at the time of occurrence. The appellant being trusted servant had an easy access in the